I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou {art}, and unto dust shalt thou return.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also {there is that} neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. {to all: or, in all things}

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books {there is} no end; and much study {is} a weariness of the flesh. {study: or, reading}

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason {of things}, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness {and} madness: {I applied...: Heb. I and mine heart compassed}

All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: {there is} a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

The works of the LORD {are} great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Wisdom {is} the principal thing; {therefore} get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, {and} apply thine heart to understanding;

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This {is} also vanity and vexation of spirit. {every...: Heb. all the rightness of work} {for this...: Heb. this is the envy of a man from his neighbour}

For all his days {are} sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh {and} intermeddleth with all wisdom. {Through...: or, He that separateth himself seeketh according to his desire, and intermeddleth in every business}

For {God} giveth to a man that {is} good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to {him that is} good before God. This also {is} vanity and vexation of spirit. {in his...: Heb. before him}

To every {thing there is} a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

There is one {alone}, and {there is} not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet {is there} no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither {saith he}, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This {is} also vanity, yea, it {is} a sore travail.

I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts. {at liberty: Heb. at large}

He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also {there is that} neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou {art}, and unto dust shalt thou return.

And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even, which {was} also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah: but the men of the place {were} Benjamites.

Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.

Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. {taken: Heb. laboured}

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason {of things}, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness {and} madness: {I applied...: Heb. I and mine heart compassed}

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed {is} the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat {of} it all the days of thy life;